AFL Round 11 (FPS): Did Dick? Dick did. Talented Dick.

Good morning Floreat Picans, lovely to wake up to a cold rainy winter’s morning.

It was with trepidation that I, (1) accepted this responsibility knowing the quality of previous offerings. And (2) went to yesterday’s game knowing I had only been to ‘loss’ games so far this season. (Am I the Jonah?)

For mine, even though Melbourne have been down for so long, this game is like our games against Carlton and Richmond. Traditional rivalries where the enemy grows another leg and works us over, even when we are red hot favourites.

Very glad to say my fears were unfounded (this time)

Arrived at the ‘G’ in time to see the girls from the West playing the girls from the South-East for ‘Women in Football Week’. It was an absolute flogging with a 0.0.00 scoreline to the vanquished .Unbeknown to all, a sign of things to come.

I noted a lot of Red and Blue in a moderate sized crowd…….. no snow yet.

So to the game.

Q1 Opens with scrappy in-close tussle, Melbourne have the first two attempts at goal, fortunately a great chase by Dids to pressure McLean and a poor kick by Johnson after a fumble by Maxwell meant little on the scoreboard. Then the excitement began. Neon’s kick in (after a behind) to Swan then to Lockyer went end to end in seconds. Tarks goals. The Pies then proceeded to score at will for the rest of the quarter. Highlight of the quarter was the courage, slick ball handling and delivery by almost all Pies players. Lowlight N Brown leaves the field with an apparent knee injury with 11 mins to go in the quarter

Q2 Dee’s must have received a rocket. They come out attacking much harder and with cleaner handling. Heater has a ‘Rhyce’ moment, slips in the goal square and kicks out on the full. C Bruce kicks Dee‘s first. Neon’s kick smothered on boundary line (2nd clanger by Neon), Robertson catches Sidebottom, backing himself a little too much, and goals. Umpire pays a mark to Bate, even though Maxwell was in front, for another goal all brought about by clanger no.3 from Neon . Pies return the favour with a quick goal to Jack. Heater learn to “Shut Up”, 50 metre penalty and goal to N Jones.. Highlight of quarter Pies stem the flow. Lowlight Pies Handling skills drop-off, especially Neon’s.

Q3 Pies awaken from their nap. Return after half time with much more intensity. It takes ten more minutes of fairly even struggle before the Pies re-take the ascendency

Quote of the day from Tim Lane “Whelan had his hands full with Dick” .Please excuse my schoolboy humour. Maric shanks a goal chance. Dick snaps another. The rain comes down and the ball turns into a cake of soap. Pies handle the conditions very well. Pendles goals. Jack limps off, Uh Oh!. Dids and Daisy combine for some Didak magic. Cloke applies a great chase and spoil. Ruckman Johnson has a brain fade, handball across goal stolen by Swan who returns ball to goalsquare by hand, Didak kicks the ball mid-air for another typical goal. Jack sneaks back on and shows how clever he is, and maybe how silly the umpys are. Plays on and misses goal attempt from the boundary line. Umpire brings it back for another shot, Jack is seen to be asking the Ump how long he has to kick which seems to drop the Melboune backs’ guard long enough for him to once again run around, but this time successfully kick for goal. Quarter finishes with a strong contested mark by Trav in trying conditions to say the least. Highlight: The increased intensity of all players in trying conditions, special mention to Sharrod Wellingham who showed plenty of courage on numerous occasions(didn’t know he had it in him). Lowlight: Pendles moustache.

Q4 Skies open again. Fumbling increases but the Pies keep running well. Atmoshere has fizzled. Game withering on the vine. Blow the siren, put them out of their misery. Highlight: The pies intensity and desire didn’t drop off once the game was safe, exemplified by Heater’s diving attempt to touch a shot on goal which ended with a heavy collision with the fence. Additionally, Pendles perfect gather at full pace in the pouring rain then the Dick/Didak handball smother, steal and assist for a team goal.

All in All a promising return to the winner’s circle, albeit against a bunch of strugglers. It’ll take a bit more than this to convince me we are anything but also-rans at this point of the season. I’m sure the split round will be great for the sore bodies, I just hope they keep up the intensity shown this week.

Questions: Is there still a place for Rocca in the side?

Is Jack as smart as I think he is?

Should C Wood have played to keep his form rolling from last week?

Has Cheesy become one of our most important players?

Can Presti keep it going long enough for us to find someone to replace him down there?

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